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How to install Windows from USB- WinSetupFromUSB with GUI

DeadMeatGF

Posted 15 August 2008 - 03:39 AM

DeadMeatGF

Member

1 posts

Joined 14-August 08

I've gone through the thread, and read the FAQ, but please forgive me if I've missed the answer.

I got directed here after being dumped with a Tablet PC pre-installed with XP Pro (no pen/touch support, great huh?) and no Floppy/CD/DVD etc.
I downloaded the GUI, ran it to format the USB key and copy the XP Tablet files and plugged it into the Tablet ...
I can boot into USB fine, I can start Setup fine - but I get:

Q8: I got "Insert WinXP CD" Error, why?
A8: The correct value in WINNT.SIF is MsDosInitiated="1". This is done automatically by the script. You must have changed WINNT.SIF after prepared USB disk.

Well, I don't have a WINNT.SIF (apart from the Sample one) and I can't find a reference to MsDosInitiated in any of my files on the USB key.

I know I'm probably doing something fundamentally stupid ... but if anyone could tell me what it is, I'd be grateful!

Umm, you need you ammend your syslinux.cfg for the particular distro and check kernel parameters for USB boot. The program just adds syslinux bootsector, copy the contents to USB and loads syslinux, and from the message you have posted it seems that syslinux is loaded indeed.

I've gone through the thread, and read the FAQ, but please forgive me if I've missed the answer.

I got directed here after being dumped with a Tablet PC pre-installed with XP Pro (no pen/touch support, great huh?) and no Floppy/CD/DVD etc.I downloaded the GUI, ran it to format the USB key and copy the XP Tablet files and plugged it into the Tablet ...I can boot into USB fine, I can start Setup fine - but I get:

Q8: I got "Insert WinXP CD" Error, why?A8: The correct value in WINNT.SIF is MsDosInitiated="1". This is done automatically by the script. You must have changed WINNT.SIF after prepared USB disk.

Well, I don't have a WINNT.SIF (apart from the Sample one) and I can't find a reference to MsDosInitiated in any of my files on the USB key.

I know I'm probably doing something fundamentally stupid ... but if anyone could tell me what it is, I'd be grateful!

It happens if your source is on CD, will be fixed very soon. Please use the file in post #36 it's fixed there, just extract it to WinSetupFromUSB folder and launch it instead of the other EXE.When I get back from holiday will put all changes in new beta version.Thanks for the feedbacks.

ilko

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB

jonsa79

Posted 10 September 2008 - 07:26 AM

jonsa79

Member

1 posts

Joined 01-January 06

Windows could not start because the following file was missing or currupt
<Windows Root>\system32\hal.dll
Please reinstall a copy of the above file

I'm getting this error all the time.
I've read the FAQ's and can't seem to understand what I'm doing wrong?
I'm trying to install to a notebook that has no problem with formating and reading the first set of files,
but when the computer restarts it just gives the error above.
Now when I'm trying to install with another USB-stick with other settings it doesn't allow me to format anymore. It keeps giving me this hal.dll error.
What can be wrong?

Posted 17 September 2008 - 03:41 AM

onepic

Posted 17 September 2008 - 08:34 AM

onepic

Member

5 posts

Joined 17-September 08

@ilko_t

Nice work and pls. receive my congratulations for it !
I have test it today and it is working OK from a 2GB USB Stick (formated as NTFS) and installed from it a winxp sp3 profesional VLK on my notebook but there is "small problem". The setup it seems not ask to select your Name and Organization and also skip the selection for time zone . Can you fix that because not all of us are live in US . Thank you in advance !

ilko_t

Posted 17 September 2008 - 10:16 AM

Would you please add support to copy the $Docs and $Progs folders inside the $OEM$ folder in the Presetup.cmd

Thanks

The next version will support everything as if installing from a CD. Hence no hacks or modifications will be needed to to accomplish such tasks.Currently working on it, should be ready very shortly.

@ilko_t

Nice work and pls. receive my congratulations for it ! I have test it today and it is working OK from a 2GB USB Stick (formated as NTFS) and installed from it a winxp sp3 profesional VLK on my notebook but there is "small problem". The setup it seems not ask to select your Name and Organization and also skip the selection for time zone . Can you fix that because not all of us are live in US . Thank you in advance !

The program is not messing with these settings. You most likely have a file unattended.txt in your source, which if found is copied and used as winnt.sif. This replicates what normal Setup would do.If that's the case- have a look in \I386 in your Windows source and rename unattended.txt to anything else BEFORE you use the program if you don't want to use it.

Thanks for the feedbacks

Edited by ilko_t, 17 September 2008 - 10:17 AM.

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB

latteslave

Posted 28 September 2008 - 11:44 PM

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.

Next issue - got the full install done, but could not boot without the USB key in the laptop. After reading the help, I realized that the binifix4.cmd file did not run (I even got an error telling me so during the first desktop launch.) I looked for the file but could not find it. Finally, I went back to the install of the WinSetupFromUSB and found the file in the install.

Is this the normal process? Did I do something wrong during the setup of the USB that caused the file not to be copied over?

Any help would be appreciated... I want to create a new USB - just in case, but want it to run the first time.

ilko_t

Posted 29 September 2008 - 12:56 AM

ilko_t

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Was your XP source on a CD? Can you copy it to a hard disk, use that as a source and report if that resolved the problem. I guess TXTSETUP.SIF editing fails when source is on a CD, because of the read-only attributes.

Thanks for the feedback.edit: Couldn't understand this part, can you explain further?

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.

Edited by ilko_t, 29 September 2008 - 12:57 AM.

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB

jkey

Posted 29 September 2008 - 04:23 AM

latteslave

Posted 01 October 2008 - 01:34 AM

latteslave

Member

2 posts

Joined 28-September 08

Was your XP source on a CD? Can you copy it to a hard disk, use that as a source and report if that resolved the problem. I guess TXTSETUP.SIF editing fails when source is on a CD, because of the read-only attributes.

Thanks for the feedback.edit: Couldn't understand this part, can you explain further?

At first I could not get the graphical install to go... Then I realized I had a 30MB partition stopping the whol thing.

I should have been more clear. I got through the text setup the first time, but could not get the GUI to run on reboot. After several bad attempts, I actually paid attention when I got to the partitioning screen. Since I set up the USB for Disk 0 Parition 1, it was trying to boot from a little 30MB partition that was built into the MINI 9. I deleted that partition, reformatted and low and behold it booted the GUI no problem...

loopux

Posted 02 October 2008 - 11:32 AM

loopux

Member

8 posts

Joined 01-October 08

Gparted is not working well for me...it loads ..take a lot of time...lot of verbose comments..then ask for my keyboards..ask for my language and then finally finish into a terminal type shell...i thought gparted had a graphic GUI (well i am sure it has one because i have it on ubuntu)..i tried all the various options (load in mem, safe etc)
why so? any ideas? it is probably possible to use it like this too but too complicate for me...

only thing i myabe should add i also have ubuntu live in the same partition (and bartpe, and winxp install), but in a different folder off course (casper)

ilko_t

Posted 02 October 2008 - 11:50 AM

ilko_t

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Gparted is not working well for me...it loads ..take a lot of time...lot of verbose comments..then ask for my keyboards..ask for my language and then finally finish into a terminal type shell...i thought gparted had a graphic GUI (well i am sure it has one because i have it on ubuntu)..i tried all the various options (load in mem, safe etc)why so? any ideas? it is probably possible to use it like this too but too complicate for me...

only thing i myabe should add i also have ubuntu live in the same partition (and bartpe, and winxp install), but in a different folder off course (casper)

matteo

What version of GParted you tried? Both 0.3.6-7 and 0.3.4-8 worked right away in my tests on 3 different computers.For 0.3.6-7 if it doesn't start GUI try waiting a few seconds, it should auto start depending on the options you choose, [0] beginner etc.Try "sudo startx" too. Ubuntu most likely will be included in the next version, matter of a few weeks.

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB

ilko_t

Posted 04 October 2008 - 04:34 PM

ilko_t

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Dangerous indeed, can you attach your WinSetupFromUSB.log file? If not present in program directory look in BACKUPS folder, there are also backups of the MBRs and bootsectors in case you need to revert the original one.

Did you have a card reader, how did you get 12 hard disks?
Thanks for reporting

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB

Volatus

Posted 05 October 2008 - 04:40 AM

Volatus

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216 posts

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I'd kinda like to add a little feature request... a tiny one, but a feature request

I use WinSetupFromUSB GUI to prepare "solo flight" installations on hard drives. I've found it an incredible and groundbreaking new way to get installations done FAST - by first preparing the drive (and boot sector) with Windows' Disk Manager, then use WSFU to "prepare" the drive to install. The drive boots to Windows setup, and happily installs right to itself at blazing speed. I can then delete the source files and enjoy Windows.

There's a small problem though, with bypassing the USB part. The Windows install is tweaked to run an extra "post-setup" routine of changing the boot.ini file, that, on the first boot, hangs at a window saying "do you really want me to set it to -1?" or something like that (it appears behind the welcome screen until it times out, or you Ctrl+Alt+Del it out of the way). I can press a key and it continues OK with no problems, but it's annoying none the less. Also, a second entry gets added to boot.ini, because a boot.ini file (unnecessary with the Grub4DOS loader) already existed in the root of C:.

So, the solution is simply to make an option that skips certain preparations, like the boot.ini in the root, and adding that first-login boot.ini changer. Those two changes would make WSFU even more useful for more than just USB!

I have a life-fulfilling "about me" page that's worth reading.Helping bridge the XP-Win7 gap... 2 years strong, less than 1 to go! If you haven't already upgraded your Vista box to XP, PM me for help!

ilko_t

Posted 05 October 2008 - 01:20 PM

I'd kinda like to add a little feature request... a tiny one, but a feature request ...

As I got it you are not installing from USB, right? You just use the program as replacement of WINNT32.EXE. Is there any reason you don't want to use the latter?

winnt32.exe /noreboot /makelocalsource /syspart:X: /tempdrive:X:

You may want to use /makelocalsource:all and /unattend:winnt.sif (/unattend:unattend.txt) in case you do MCE/tablet and use answer file.It will prepare drive X: with the installation files, boot.ini will be prepared at end of TXT part, having one entry only.

If you want to use WSFU, you may just delete boot.ini in root folder and comment out or delete in \$WIN_NT$.~BT\WINNT.SIF GuiRunOnce section"binifix4.cmd c:"to;"binifix4.cmd c:"

If you want ~BT and ~LS folders to be deleted at the end of GUI part (T -1) comment out or delete in SetupParams section UserExecute = ren_fold.cmdto ;UserExecute = ren_fold.cmd

@devictoriaThanks, it's fixed in the program now.In addition grubinst.exe, which installs the grub4dos bootsector, refuses to work with hd10, hd11 etc. Reported to the authors:http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5897Will include a fixed version of it as soon as they fix it.Thanks again for reporting.

Install Windows from USB, boot Linux, multiboot and a lot more with WinSetupFromUSB